Chair



PatentedApr. 24, 1928.

f UNITED' STATES PATENT]. OFHCE,,

JOHN J. WILKINSON AND MICHELA. wiLxmSon, on ownq, 1WORx.

CHAIR. 1

Application filed O itobe r 8;.1927; Serial No.224,904; u 1

Our invention relates generafly to chairs and partioularly to a folding chair, and has for its primnry objeot the provision of a folding construction that eoono1nizesthe greatest possible amount of, space requiied and a minimum number of parts;

Anotherobjeot is to proVide*a folding chair which despite its limited number of parts afiords asolid substantiel chair when 1U unfolded.

Still another object is to provide a old ing chair inwhich the ba ck and rear legs are ofa single rigid unit and in whioh the foldable front legs and seat are so arranged as to eliminate the necessity for extraneous and unsightly braces and cross leg sup port-s. One .of the distinct advantages of our improved chair construction lies in the tact that the chair when unf0lded and ready for use simulates to a marked degree the apparence of the' ordinary nonfolding chair and for this reason findstilit and under circumstances not hertof0redesir able .withthe ordinary type of; folding chair. Otlierobjects and advantages Wi-ll be apparent as the description proceeds, reference nOw being had to the figures of=the drawing whe1ein like reerenoe numerals indicate like Parts. In the drawingz, 7 Figure 1 is a pers -active view of our improved chairin un OIded position.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the -chair in unfolded position as it appears from the rem.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the chair in its foldd o1*'collapsed position.

Figure 4'is a.detail illustrating the seat pivot.

The referencenumemls 1 and 2 refer to the s'ideme'mbers of the frame which provides the rigid unit-comprising the rear legs and backof the chair. The upper cross piece 3 and'the lower crOsspiece 4, between which is mounted the vertical back strip 5 oomplete this frame. T he portions 6 and 7 of theside members 1 and 2 provide the 1ear legs of the chair, and cross pieoes 3 and 4- and vertical piece 5, together with the upper ends of the side members 1 and 2 provide the chair baek. This structure is similar to that commonIy used in the making f ponolding hair and pro de a yery, substantial and solid f1a1nwork for the chair.hfi .i

lhisf1a1ne{as Well :as the: other parts of the chair to be described, 1nay be,as =showxi in the draWings, constructd of wood, each partthepef being' formd separate: and

suitabl' secured; togetheb inthe desired manner. .-Ibshould. be ,noted however that instead0f making these parts of wood and fitting them togethex, the entire' ffame consisting of the side members 1 and 2, cross pieces 3 and 4 and verticalback member 5 may be stmped :as a single piece -f1om metal and formed with the desired ourve. VVe do not,limit ou1selvs thereforerto the wooden Construction herein shown and described but wish it understood that a metal frame clearly fallswith the soope of our invention. H Extendingaoross between :the side=members 1 and 2::at a suitable heigh t froin the lower endof theflrear legs 6 and 7, is a rod 8,; the pivot for the seat 9. The rearedge of thevfiseat 9 isa providedWithflprojecting cars 10through whioh the.rod 8 passesand .by means of which the seat may be Pivod on .Sfld rod 8V. ;Located ontheurod 8 be .tween the euSf 10 and the side inembeis 1 and 2ere fianged washrs11, serving 10 space the seat fromsuch side inembers so as to ,prevent iriterference between the seat and. side memberswhen theseat is folded as shown in Figure 3. ltwill be observed with reference to Figure 3 that due to.the

curve on Which the chair back is formed and the thickness of the; frame members 1 and 2, the seat 9 When in folded position lies entirely within,the planes definedb the edgesof such trame memberS. The thickness of the ohairwhenolded-is the1efore no greater than' the thikness ofthe Side members 1 and 2.

Secu'red to the innei surfaces of the side members 1 and 2 at points Spnced suitabl. 'aboVothe pivot8of the sont 9. gare l1eaded pins 12 .enga ging within thelcingitudinl slots 13 forined in the upper ends of the front,legs 15 and 16 of the chair. lhese legs 15 and 16 are preferably of metal although they may be made of woodor other ion suitablo material, and are provided attheir lower ends with tlie bent portions 17 to provide feet for these legs and pre'vent scratching the fioor or other surface upo11 which* the chair may be set, It W111 b noted that by bendihg the ends 17 inwardly, interference of t,lrese feet with the rear legs 6 and 7 When thecha'ir is folded. is avoided.

The legs 15 and 16 are connected at a point below the .lower ends .of the slots 13 -by means of a rod 18 passing diiectly beneath the seat '9 and bent at is ends at 19 to conform to the structure of said scat and to facilitate stacking the chairs When. folded. Strap members 20 are provided on the under surface of the scat 9 a-t eachside thereof to provide bearings through Which the onde of the rod 18 pass and upon which theseat is pivoted. v r

This rod 18 in addition to providing a supportfor the underside of the projeeting scat 9, .provides aconnecting brace between the front legs l and 16. A second -braee rod 21 connects the front legs further clown and Jlends rigidity of the structure. As shown in dotted lines in Figure 1, the front legs 15 and 16 may, if desired, befurther cmmected by the strip 22, )referably integral with the legs and ourved npwardl slightly out of contact :with the supporting surface. This wonld of course also add to thestabiiity of the chair as well as permit thelegs 15 and 16 to be f0rmedfrom a single strip of material.

From the foregoing, it Wlll be Obvious that by lifting up the outer end of the scat 9, the seat may be tnrned on -its pivot 8 and as the seat is moved to the closed position adjacent the back member 5,- the front legmembers 15 and 16-will be carried therewith, sliding npwardly loyy virtue of the pin and slotconnections 12 and 13, and, by

virtne of the pivotl conneetion 20 with the nnderside of the scat-9, Wili assume a horizontal -position directly inside the frame mexnbers 1. and 2 and lying entirely within the planes of said f1ame.

Likewise, npon lowerix 1g the scat 9-from folded position to open posit1on the eon-' nection With the rod 18 on the scat will cause the legs 15and 16 to be carried outwardly and; due :to the pin and slot connectien 12 and 13, downwardly to engagement with the floor for supporting the chair,

Obviously from onr construction, a considerable number of these chairs may be folded up and stored away, rcquiring but little storage space. Furthernmre. whon our inxproved chair is unfolded and drawn up to a table, its apPearanee, because of the -spirit and scope of our invention.

baek and rear leg unit construction, closely resexnbles.theordinary type of dining room chair as to hardly to distinguishable therefrom.

- Of course, manyglraggos may be 1nadc by way of detail without departing from the VVe do not limit ourselves therefore to the exact v structure r shown and described herein other thon by the appended elaims.

- We claim:

1. A .folding Chair comprising a frame constituting the rear legs and baclc, a scat pivoted to said fra-me, and front legs supporting said scat and having direct pivotal and guided sliding connection xvith said frame and foldable thcrewithin.

2.Affolding chair comprising a frarne constituting the rear legs and baek, a scat pivoted to said franic, front legs l1aving direct pivotal and guided'sliding eonnection at 'tlieir npper ends with said frame and foldable therewithin, and means connecting said front legs and suPp0rting said scat.

8. A folding chair comprising a frame constituting the rear legs and back, a scat pivoted to said frame, front legs having direct pivotal and .guided sliding connection at their npper ends with said fra1ne and foldable therewithim said conneetion comprising slots in said legs and *pinsin said frame engaging insaid slots, and means on said front legs for supporting said seat.

4. A folding chair comprising a fran1e eonstituting the rearlegsand back, a scat pivoted to said frame, front legs having direct pivotal and guided sliding connection at their upper ends with said frame and foldable therewithin, said connection comprising slots in said legs and pins in said frame engaging in said slots, and mans on said front legs for supporting said scat, sziid 1neans comprising a connection between said frontlegs to which said seat is pivotally seeured.

5. A folding chair comprising a fra1ne constituting the rear legs and back, front legs having direct pivotal and guidfld S1ding connection with Said frame and fold' able therewithin, and a scat pivoted at its rear edge to saidframe and intermediate its rear and front edges tosaid front legs.

JOHN J. WILKINSON.. MICHAEL A. WILKINSON. 

